As a taxi driver in Newcastle, Dave McDonald has picked up his fair share of unusual customers.

But few more so than Baby Budgie, the bright blue budgerigar who has become the mascot of Budget Taxis, in Fenham, Newcastle, after kind-hearted Dave rescued the abandoned bird.

When Dave arrived to pick up a customer last Thursday morning, he was surprised to find a couple laden down with bags, and a live budgie in its cage.

Seeming distressed, they explained they’d be kicked out of their house, and wouldn’t be able to look after their pet bird.

And when they got out of the car Dave said they left the cage behind them.

Budget taxis manager David Singh was in the office when he received one of the oddest calls he’d ever had on the company radio — a concerned Dave, asking what to do with the budgie that had been left in his cab.

Dave McDonald of Budget Taxis with Baby Budget the budgie which is now the mascot of Budget Taxis in Fenham

David said: “The thought that went through my mind when I heard this was ‘we can’t abandon him — he’s a budgie, and we’re budget, it fits’.

“I told Dave to bring him back, and I decided to keep the budgie and that we would all look after him.

“Everybody just laughed at us at first, they couldn’t believe it when I told them we’d adopted a budgie who’d been evicted from his house — but he’s settling in here.”

So the team of taxi drivers and office staff took in a new feathered friend.

For the past week, the little bird, who they have named Baby Budgie, has been delighting staff and customers alike, as the firm’s new mascot.

David said: “It’s been lovely — everyone who sees him wants to adopt him, but we’ve said no, he’s staying here with us.”